


CAPTAIN CYRIL STACY: COMBAT OVERVIEW

by lordofcrowns



Category: Final Fantasy XIV, Original Work
Genre: Fantasy, Gen, High Fantasy, Male Miqo'te (Final Fantasy XIV), Miqo'te (Final Fantasy XIV), Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Pirates, Sky Pirates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:15:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24723646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lordofcrowns/pseuds/lordofcrowns
Summary: If I were to speak of him, what would I tell you? Would I speak of his charisma? Of his cunning?If I were to warn you, what wisdom would I give...? Would I warn you of his speed, of his slyness?There is much I could say. But if I must say only one thing, let it be this:Pray, escape the viper. Woe betide they who find themselves ensnared in his coils.[ CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT NOTES ]
Kudos: 1





	CAPTAIN CYRIL STACY: COMBAT OVERVIEW

**Author's Note:**

> GENTLE DISCLAIMER: Cyril is written more akin to a thriller genre villain, sometimes teetering over into horror depending on the situation - while still being set in high fantasy. I just realize he might be a bit much, perhaps too dark or violent, depending on your preferred entertainment genre / expectations, so please consider this a soft warning if that’s not something you enjoy!

➤ “If I were to warn you, what would I say…?”

★★★★★★★★☆☆ — STRENGTH  
★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ — OFFENSE  
★★★★★★★★☆☆ — DEFENSE  
★★★★★★★★★☆ — SPEED  
★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ — DURABILITY  
★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ — ACCURACY  
★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ — AGILITY  
★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ — STAMINA  
★★★★★★★★★☆ — TEAMWORK  
★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ — STEALTH  
★★★★★★★★★☆ — MELEE  
★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ — BLADES  
★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ — BLUNT  
★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ — RANGED  
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ — MAGIC  
★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ — TRAPS  
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ — MEDIC  
& ★★★★★★★★★★ — BULLWHIP

— OVERVIEW —

Cyril is highly defensive, hard to hit, and extremely quick to punish anyone that gets in his melee range. Melee to mid-range is where he’s the most dangerous, because that puts his opponent both within bullwhip range, and grabbing range. In combat, Cyril’s motive is always to subdue his adversary, not to kill. His goal is to force them to surrender, and he will employ whatever nefarious and cruel tactics he must in order to manage this swiftly. He will grapple, choke, bruise, beat and break bones without hesitation if he has to.

His bullwhip is the weapon he’s the most proficient and dangerous with, as well as being the weapon with which he can inflict the most pain and fear. Typically his whip is used for crowd control - it is most often utilized to halt someone’s retreat. It’s common for people to attempt to flee, only to be tangled up in the coils and yanked back into Cyril’s range. It’s common for individuals to suffer dislocated joints or snapped limbs when this happens, to say nothing of the way the whip cuts into the skin upon latching onto them.

Once someone is stunned, entangled, or otherwise slowed enough for Cyril to get a firm grasp, he can use his right hand to shock them and effectively paralyze them long enough to shackle or bind them. In most encounters, once he’s shocked someone, unless there is outside intervention - the fight between those two is over.

— INJURIES —

While it’s no secret the Captain keeps his right eye covered, the reason as to why widely remains a mystery. Those oblivious to his name and reputation will typically assume he lost that eye somehow, or perhaps that he keeps it covered as some sailors prefer to do, to allow for better sight in the darkness below decks as well as to sharpen one’s aim. Few ask, as it’s of course terribly rude to pry into such things.

Those who do know of him will often insist the covered eye is magic, a source of power and the very thing that renders him “untouchable”. Rumors often circulate that this magic eye is also the source of the crackling lightning that sparks and manifests from his right hand, allowing him to knock people down for the count so easily once he merely gets a hold of them.

As if to deliberately reinforce the frankly wild belief and ridiculous rumors that he is invincible, Cyril outwardly bears no scars nor marks on his body.

— OVERVIEW ( continued )—

When in a fight, Cyril typically will come across collected, poised and honestly rather cocky. Cyril is something of an expert at breaking people’s morale and shattering their confidence, and that kind of behavior on his part often starts the very moment he and an opponent, or potential opponent, meet. Cyril will insult, belittle, talk down to, and make a great display of pity towards his adversary - this usually includes offering them ample opportunities to surrender to him before things get bloody.

In the inevitability that someone refuses to surrender, he’ll then dare them to prove themselves to him, which he will equate to proving themselves worthy of autonomy. Cyril will demand their attention and effort, and rather playfully jeer at them the whole time, especially if they seem distracted in any way [ say, for example, if he’s holding their loved one(s) hostage ]. That, however, is typically only his behavior at a distance, or as the fight begins and the two are getting a feel for one another.

Once a fight picks up, and especially once Cyril’s genuinely in melee range - you can expect him to start pushing and forcing himself into his opponent’s personal space. Definitely a byproduct of his confidence, but also typically something he can get away with due to sheer size and strength. He’ll grab, grope, and try to get people into uncomfortable holds they can’t easily wriggle out of. Choke-holds are common, whether he’s wrapped his arm about their neck from behind, or simply clasped his hand about their throat. Getting up in someone’s space may also mean pinning them to the wall, or pinning them down on the ground - he’s skilled at grappling and comfortable with either. It’s also common, both as a way to disorient as well dishearten, for Cyril to slap an opponent if he sees an opening. Usually a slap in the face is paired with an insult - maybe they let their guard down, maybe their footwork is poor - whatever it may be, Cyril will capitalize on any chance to humiliate his opponent.

In addition to getting uncomfortably close, one can expect him to snarl, shout, curse, and even growl at his opponents. Words may still be exchanged, but instead of playful banter one might instead hear whispered threats or extremely dark insinuations and other foul comments. It starts to sound like he’s finished being playful, though that isn’t necessarily the case. After all, he usually treats people like playthings, and encounters are often a game played at his leisure. Cyril likes to scare people, and he likes to see their reactions. He also just so happens to be entirely too willing to make good on any threat he whispers.

At his worst, if an opponent refuses to go down, or say his temper is getting the better of him - Cyril’s restraint will falter and he’ll start being unnecessarily violent. His temper is notoriously fickle, so whether his reaction is appropriate for the encounter he lashes out in or not is hard to say. He has a history of beating people bloody - be it with his whip, his body, or both - until they pass out. Cyril has kicked and crushed people under his boot hard enough to shatter bones and crack ribs, as well as doubtless inflicting many a concussion slamming people against this or that structure. His temper boiling over to such a degree as to see such behavior is rare… but not as rare as it should be.

— FURTHER NOTES —

Cyril is written to be a powerful and ideally ( if I’m doing my job right ;; ) terrifying villain to go up against. He’s supposed to feel impossible to overpower, coupled with losing to him of course having massive & heavy repercussions - both for a hero / heroine and for that individual’s loved ones. I really wanted him to be scary and unforgivable.

While not invincible in any way, he would like to have others believe he is. Therefore, he invests no small amount of effort into selling that invincible image, with a generally rather high success rate. Rumors abound of an “untouchable” Captain Stacy, who boasts no scars and loses no duel. Which… it’s true he’s not yet lost a duel, but why that is can be written about another time.

I’ve written Cyril to intentionally be a villain that someone cannot simply overpower with brute force. Winning against Cyril is going to take strategy, forethought, and ultimately in some cases, stooping to his level or even flirting with a diplomatic relationship. He is a pirate, after all, pirates love to parley.

He’s generally meant to put a hero / heroine in a difficult position, where they’re forced to make decisions and do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do in order to defeat him, because again - simply overpowering him is not going to work. And at the same time, he cannot just be ignored or avoided, because his trade and his tendencies are too cruel and intrusive to cast a blind eye towards. Morally, he cannot be allowed to continue what he does, and someone has to put an end to it. I wanted to make him a villain that challenged heroes on a deeper level than just physical strength.

At least, all of that is what I hope for when I write him. Did I succeed? Who knows.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 🌹  
>   
>  **[SEE ORIGINAL POST ( with graphics ) HERE](https://lordofcrowns.tumblr.com/post/615772190892244992/if-i-were)**  
>   
>  **Captain Cyril Stacy© 2016-2020**  
>  **  
> [Tumblr](https://lordofcrowns.tumblr.com) || [Twitter](https://twitter.com/cyrilstacy) || [Instagram](https://instagram.com/lord_of_crowns) || [Twitch](https://www.twitch.tv/lord_of_crowns)  
> **


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